Sofa-bed assembly



Dec. 17, 1968 POKORNY, JR

SOFA-BED ASSEMBLY 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 21, 1967 FIG. 1

INVENTOR tau/s POAfi/PAOj MA.

ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1968 POKORNY, JR

SOFA-BED ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 21, 1967 9 YR m J 5*- ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1968 L. POKORNY, JR 3,416,168

SOFA-BED ASSEMBLY Filed March 31, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR:

(00/5 POAfi/P/Wj MR.

BY W 67 77 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,416,168 SOFA-BED ASSEMBLY Louis Pokorny, Jr., Ronkonkoma, N.Y., assignor of onethird each to Louis Pokorny, Ronkonkoma, and John M. Pokorny, Bellport, N.Y.

Filed Mar. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 624,847 6 Claims. (Cl. --13) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Sofa-bed mechanism comprising four sections pivoted to one another in succession and foldable between collapsed sofa position and extended bed position. sup port linkage movably supports mechanism between opposed side walls of sofa body, and support linkage arranged in its entirety below back of sofa when mechanism is in collapsed condition, so that sofa back can be made relatively narrow.

This invention relates generally to sofa-beds, and has particular reference to an improved foldable and refoldable mechanism and an improved mode of association of such an articulated mechanism with a sofa body.

The type of sofa-bed mechanism with which the invention is concerned comprises sections that are pivoted to one another in succession and are foldable between a collapsed sofa position and an extended bed position. The sections include two which lie in superposed horizontal planes when the structure is collapsed and in horizontal alignment when the mechanism is extended; they may be conveniently designated upper and lower horizontal sections. Between them, at the front of the sofa, is a front vertical section; and at the rear of the lower horizontal section it is pivotally joined to a rear vertical section, the word vertical signifying that in the collapsed or folded condition of the mechanism these sections lie in substantially vertical planes. Connecting linkages support the mechanism between the opposed side walls of a rigid sofa body which includes a front board and a back structure. The back is usually made hollow to accommodate the rearmost part of the mechanism, i.e., the rear vertical section, when it is in its fully folded condition. Helping to rigidity the sofa body is a crosspiece extending between the side walls at the base of the back structure.

My copending application, Ser. No. 415,050, filed Dec. 1, 1964 now US. Patent No. 3,321,777, shows an example of this general kind of assembly. In its extended condition the mechanism stretches forwardly from the sofa body to define four alinged bed-defining sections. A mattress is generally coextensive with the mechanism and foldable and unfoldable with it. The linkage system interconnects the sections in such a way that the mechanism is constrained to fold and unfold in accordance with a predetermined pattern of movement.

In the above-identified copending application, reference is made to the use of a unitary front board on the sofa. This necessitates the use of a linkage arrangement able to move the mechanism so that it ducks under the rear crosspiece and jumps over the relatively high front board. The present invention also deals with a linkage arrangement having these capabilities.

Furthermore, in the past, the hollow back of the sofa body has been made relatively deep to enable it to accommodate both the rear vertical section of the mechanism and the rear portion of the supporting linkage when the mechanism is in collapsed condition. Under some circumstances, particularly when it is desired to give the sofa a lighter looking, more modern styling, it is desirable to make the sofa back as shallow as possible.

3,416,168 Patented Dec. 17, 1968 "ice It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a sofa-bed mechanism having a supporting linkage capable of moving the mechanism according to the predetermined pattern referred to above, but in which the linkage is disposed below, rather than within, the sofa back when the mechanism is in its collapsed condition.

The preferred way of achieving these objects and the other advantages and benefits hereinafter to ibe pointed out is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the assembly with the near side of the sofa body omitted to reveal the mechanism within it, the mechanism being shown in its fully collapsed sofa-defining condition, and parts of the sofa body being shown only schematically;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, with the mechanism in a partially withdrawn position relative to the sofa body;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the mechanism 'at a further stage of the unfolding procedure; and

FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are views, on an enlarged scale, showing successive positions of the rear supporting linkage during the unfolding procedure.

The sofa body shown in FIGS. 1-3 is schematically depicted because its structural and upholstery features are not material to an understanding of the invention, except for the presence of opposed side walls 11, an upholstered back 10, a crosspiece 12 at the base of the back a little above the level of the collapsed mechanism, and a onepiece immovable front board 14 extending along the entire length of the sofa. The board 14, as best seen in FIG. 1 has a height about equal to the housed foldableframe mechanism when in its completely folded condition.

The back 10 of the sofa body is hollow, and affords space for the rearward part of the mechanism, and in conventional sofa-beds, for its anchorage to the opposed sides 11. However, according to this invention, the mechanism is anchored to the sides 11 of the sofa body at a point below the back 10.

The sofa-bed mechanism comprises four sections pivoted to one another in succession, pivotal articulations between them, and a linkage for mounting the sectional unit in housing condition within the sofa body. In the fully folded condition the sections assume the relative positions shown in full lines in FIG. 1. The position assumed by one element of the supporting linkage when the mechanism is in its extended bed position, as well as the path of movement of this element, is shown in broken lines. It will be understood that these sections extend for substantially the full length of the sofa from one side 11 to the other, and that the pivotal anchorages of the mechanism to the sofa body are provided in duplicate, one at each side.

In the present mechanism, the sections comprise a rear section 18 pivoted at its lower end 22 (as viewed in FIG. 1) to the lower horizontal section 19. The latter is pivoted at 23 (FIG. 3) to the front vertical section 20, and the latter is pivoted to the upper horizontal section 21 at 26. These pivotal connections permit the sections to lie in extended alignment when the mechanism is unfolded to its full extent, thus defining a bed. Each of the bed sections is preferably formed of opposed side rails connected at appropriate regions (-as is well known) by braces extending parallel to the front board 14. The side rails are preferably angle members each of which has a horizontal flange and a vertical flange when the mechanism is extended into bed-defining condition. The rear end of the rear section 18 may also be an angle member. The free end of the upper horizontal section 21 preferably consists of a tubular member 62 in the form of a U having short arms.

The mechanism is mounted in the supporting sofa body (i.e., anchored to the side walls 11) by a linkage which is independent of the rearmost section 18, and engages with the lower horizontal section 19 at the pivot 22. It consists of a front S-shaped link 70, a pair of intermediate links 71 and 72, and a pair of rear links 68 and 69 (see FIGS. 4-7). The terms front, intermediate, and rear, refer to the relative positions of the links when the mechanism is extended as shown in FIG. 3 and 7. The link 71 is pivoted at 73 to the rear end of the link 70, and the link 72 is pivoted to the link 70 at a point 74 spaced from the pivot point 73 and near the rearward bend in link 70. The forward ends of the links 68 and 69 are pivoted to the rearward ends of the links 72 and 71, respectively, at 75 and 76. The rearward ends of the links 68 and 69 are pivoted at 65 and 67, respectively to a bracket 77 fixed to the side 11 of the sofa body. At a point between its ends, the rear link 68 is pivoted at 63 to a point between the ends of intermediate link 71, thus creating a scissors-like connection between the two links.

Pivoted to the link 70, near its front end, is an actuating link 30. The pivot 28 engages the rear end of the link 30. From a pivot point 78 just forward of the pivot 28 a link 79 extends from the link 30 to the pivot 80 on the bed section 18. The link 79 is also an actuating link, serving to press rearwardly on the pivot 80 when the mechanism is unfolded (see FIGS. 2 and 3), to swing the section 18 into horizontal alignment with the others to define the bed.

The front end of the actuating link 30 is pivotally connected at 34 to one arm of a lever 35 medially fulcrumed at 36 on the lower horizontal section 19. (The pivot 36 is visible only in FIG. 3.) The levers other arm extends from the fulcrum 36 to the pivot 32 articulating the lever 35 to the rear end of a connecting link 45. The latter is pivoted at 46 to a second lever 40 which is medially fulcrurned at 33 on a fixed bracket on the front vertical bed section 20. (The fulcrum 33 is visible only in FIG. 3.)

The second lever 40 is of the bellcrank variety and its forwardly extending arm extends from the fulcrum 33 to the pivot 42 at which a link 43 is connected. This link extends to the upper horizontal section 21 and is pivoted to it at 44.

The link 45 constitutes a collapsible articulation between the first and second levers 35 and 40. It has an extension 48 beyond the pivot 46 which at some times abuts against the pin or abutment 47 carried by lever 40, and at others it moves away from this pin. As pointed out in the above-identified copending application, as a result of the cooperation between link 45 and lever 35, the intermediate leg 38 is allowed to jump over the front board 14 and assume an operative support position on the floor before any further unfolding of the mechanism can be effected. Similarly, during the refolding of the mechanism the parts can be adjusted from the fully extended condition to the compacted condition wherein sections 19 and 21 lie in superposed horizontal planes without lifting the leg 38. Thus any instability of the sofa during these maneuvers, tending to topple the entire structure forwardly, is prevented.

The leg 38 is swung between a retracted position beneath the lower horizontal section 19 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and its vertical operative position (FIG. 3) by means of an actuating link 82 extending from a pivot 83 on the lever 35 to a pivot 84 on the leg 38. The leg is pivoted at its upper end to the lower horizontal section 19, just rearward of the pivotal connection 23 between sections 19 and 20. A caster 39 is preferably provided on the free end of the leg 38.

Before describing the operation of the mechanism, other parts of the linkage system should be described.

The front leg 58, pivoted to the upper horizontal section 21 at 55, is automatically swung between the fully operative position wherein it rests on the floor and the fully retracted position of FIGS. 1 and 2 by a link 59 extending from it to the link 43. The link 59 is pivoted to the actuating link 43 at 86 and to the leg 58 at 87.

The adjustment of the compacted mechanism between the fully housed position of FIG, 1 and the partially extended position of FIG. 3 is facilitated by the elevatorarm 50 and the parts associated with it. The arm 50 is pivotally supported by the bracket 77 fixed to the sofa body at pivot point 51. The lower end of the elevator arm 50 is pivotally connected at 53 to the front end of a tension plate 99 whose rear end is secured to coiled tension springs 52, the rear ends of the latter being anchored to the bracket 77 at 54. The upper end of the elevator arm is pivoted at 94 to the actuating link 30.

In the completely housed condition of the mecha nisrn, as shown in FIG. 1 the springs 52 are in a tensioned condition pulling rearwardly at 53 upon the lower end of the elevator arm 50. The urgence toward swinging the elevator arm 50 upward, i.e., in a clockwise direction as shown in the drawings, is counteracted by the weight of the mechanism. During the initial stages of unfolding movement the springs 52 thus counterbalance this weight and make it easier for the user to lift the mechanism upward and forwardly toward the position of FIG. 2. Similarly, during the refolding operation the springs 52 facilitate the return movement of the parts.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: with the mechanism in the compacted condition of FIG. 1, the handle member 66 is grasped to initiate an upward forward movement of the mechanism as a whole. Aiding in this movement are the springs 52. During the transition from FIG. 1 to FIG. 2, i.e., from FIG. 4 to FIG. 6, the pivot point at the free end of rear link 68 is constrained to move in a circular path around the fixed pivot 65, and the pivot point 76 at the free end of rear link 69 is constrained to move in a circular path around the fixed pivot 67. This movement causes the intermediate links 71 and 72 to swing from their overlapping relationship, shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, to a position in which they are spaced apart and generally parallel, as shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6. In consequence, the front link 70 is translated forwardly and simultaneously rotated through about so that its forward end moves through an arcuate path along the bottom of the sofa, as indicated by the broken line 98 in FIG. 1.

Thereis little change in the general relationship of parts during the movement from the condition of FIG. 1 to that of FIG. 2. It should be noted, however, that sup- 1 porting linkage 70, 71, 72, 68, 69 has guided the rear vertical section 18 downwardly and forwardly beneath the crosspiece 12. At the same time the. bundle of parts has been canted upward at the front to a relatively steep angularity which will presently allow the leg 38 to jump over the fixed front board 14 without interference.

As the elevator arm continues its clockwise movement, the actuating link 30 is caused to move rearward with respect to the section 19, and the effect of this is to press rearwardly upon the link 79 thereby bringing the rear section 18 upward into alignment with the section 19. Also activated by the link 30 is the lever 35 which is moved into a counter-clockwise direction thereby compelling the leg 38 to swing downward to the operative position shown in FIG. 3. At the same time, the support linkage moves to the position of FIG. 7 wherein the front link 70 assumes a generally horizontal disposition, shown in broken lines in FIG. 1. It will be seen from the path 98, therefore, that after causing the pivot connection 22 to initially move along the bottom of the sofa body, the support linkage finally permits the pivot 22 to rise suddenly to its ultimate position in the extended condition of the mechanism. During the movement between the FIG. 2 condition and the time caster 39 touches the floor, the rotative movement of lever 35 is ineffective to bring about any swinging movement of the lever 40, as a result of which the sections 19, 20 and 21 of the mechanism remain in a compacted condition until a lifting force is applied to the upper horizontal section 21. A rotation of this section through the position of FIG. 3 ultimately brings about an alignment of all tions and lowers the front leg 58.

The abutment between the link extension 48 on link 45 and the pin or stop 47 on lever 40 in the fully folded and fully unfolded conditions serves to prevent the levers 35 and 40 from moving beyond the ranges prescribed for them.

The opera-tion takes place in reverse during the refolding of the mechanism. During refolding the leg 38 jumps clear of the front board, and the mechanism ducks under the crosspiece 12, ultimately bringing the rear bed section 18 into the upright disposition within the hollow back structure 10, and the supporting linkage into folded condition beneath the plane of the upper surface of the upper horizontal section 21, and hence beneath the sofa back 10.

The invention thus affords a sofa-bed assembly in which the style requirements of a relatively shallow permanent sofa back, and an uninterrupted unitary front board, can be complied with in a practicable economically feasible manner and without sacrifice of simplicity, reliability, ease of manipulation, or comfort in either the sofa or the bed condition of the device.

It will be understood that many of the details shown may be modified by those skilled in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sofa-bed assembly arranged in a sofa body, a mechanism comprising four pivoted sections including in succession a rear vertical section, a lower horizontal section, a front vertical section, and an upper horizontal section, said sections being foldable between a collapsed sofa position in which the lower and upper horizontal sections lie in superposed parallel relation, and an extended bed position in which said sections lie in horizontal alignment, and a supporting linkage pivotally connecting said mechanism to said sofa body, said supporting linkage being connected to said mechanism in the region of the pivot connection between said rear and lower horizontal sections, and said supporting linkage being located in its entirety below the plane containing the upper surface of said upper horizontal section when said mechanism is in the collapsed sofa position, whereby when said mechanism is in the collapsed sofa position the only the bed-defining secportion of said entire assembly which extends above the plane containing the upper surface of said upper horizontal section is said rear vertical section.

2. A sofa-bed mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said supporting linkage includes a front link pivoted at one end to said mechanism, a pair of links pivoted together in a scissors relationship, the rear ends of said link pair being pivotally connected to said sofa body, and the front ends of said link pair being pivotally connected to said front link near its other end.

3. A sofa-bed mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said supporting linkage includes a front link pivoted at one end to said mechanism, first and second intermediate links, said first intermediate link being pivoted to the other end of said front link, and said second intermediate link being pivoted to said front link at a point spaced from said other end, and first and second rear links pivoted to said sofa body, each of said rear links being pivoted to one of said intermediate links.

4. A sofa-bed mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein said front link is provided with a bend near its other end, said intermediate links both being connected to the portion of said front link between its other end and said bent region.

5. A sofa-bed mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein one of said intermediate links is pivoted at a point between its ends to a point between the ends of one of said rear links.

6. A sofa-bed mechanism as defined in claim 5 wherein said intermediate link pivoted between its ends is said first intermediate link, and said rear link pivoted between its ends is pivoted to said second intermediate link.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,247,526 4/1966 Rogers 5-13 3,284,814 11/1966 Mikos 5-13 X 3,300,792 1/1967 Spitz 5-13 3,345,651 10/1967 Fox 513 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 5-29 

